Leave causing ‘worries’ for £32bn UK fashion industry
BREXIT is causing uncertainty for the £32 billion UK fashion industry, the head of the British Fashion Council has warned.
And leading designer Alexa Chung said she was worried about the possible impact of limits on freedom of movement for creative workers as a result of EU withdrawal.
Speaking as London Fashion Week began, BFC chairwoman Stephanie Phair told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It is the uncertainty that makes it difficult for the industry to figure out how to plan for Brexit in their strategies.
“It is an industry that is complex. It requires manufacturing abroad, designing here, reshipping abroad. It is a mix of goods, services and talents. So what we are talking to Government about is really frictionless borders, tariff-free access to the EU and the ability for talent to move, the free movement of people. We continue to have these conversations.”
Ms Phair said she was “optimistic” about ensuring visas continue to be available for models and other top talent to move between fashion week events around the world.
Asked what impact a no-deal Brexit would have, she said: “We don’t know, because we don’t know what that no-deal Brexit would look like.”
Asked about the impact of Brexit on her multinational operations, Ms Chung told the programme: “This is something that I have fears about. Our warehouse is in the Netherlands, there are British people in here, but we also have lots of talented people from all over the world, so that worries me.”